Record women numbers in Ilala targeted by NMB’s new training stint

A record 3,7750 business women operating micro and small businesses in Ilala Municipality of Dar es Salaam will be trained on how to open a business account, keep records and market their products by NMB Bank Plc experts this year.

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NMB Dar es Salaam Zonal Manager, Badru Iddi said the training program has already started in all the 37 wards of Ilala Municipality which is on pilot stage.

“This pilot project is being implemented in Dar es Salaam by NMB Bank in collaboration with local government authorities,” Idd said adding that during the implementation, a special desk under an NBM staff will be set up at each ward.

Idd said the new project is a result of findings of a survey done last June which established that women businesses are lacking proper booking and marketing tools which deny them access to loans and growth.

“We want to help these business women grow with us and graduates to big businesses,” Idd noted.NMB Bank’s Senior Relationship Manager, Lilian Malekia backed Idd’s observations and added that if successful the pilot project will be scaled up countrywide in the next five years.

Malekia said the project will also educate women entrepreneurs on how to register and formalize their businesses, get Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and access different financial products currently in the market.

“To start with, we will begin with Karume Street in Ilala Municipality,” she noted and called on women entrepreneurs in the area to make use of the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge on management of modern businesses.

“Don’t take loans from banks and use it for birthday parties or wedding, if you get a loan invest it in your business that will in turn help you to grow and compete which enables you to repay it,” the NMB Manager noted.

NMB Bank Plc is Tanzania‘s largest commercial bank in terms of profit, branch network and number of customers, among other key benchmarks. The bank with over 2.8 million customers, has 226 physical branches, over 800 ATMs and thousands of NMB Wakalas covering almost 98 percent of the country. NMB is listed at the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange with Dutch Rabobank and Treasury as the largest shareholders.

Outreach and Promotion Manager from TECC, Abdul Juma (C) speaking during the launching of the 5th phase of VIA Pathways to Work Program in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Second right is John Mwakasege from PTF and other officials from partner institutions involved in the program. Photo: courtesy of TECC.